Cedar | Maple sugar candy | Sand | Wet stone | Banana | Ends on a floral scent

Agave | Toasted coconut | Toasted marshmallow | Light white grape

Roasted malt | Hibiscus tea | Caramel | Sponge cake

For those who love Westward Whiskey’s particular brand of American single malts, one criticism they can have is that many of their releases share a common flavor profile. Westward combats this by releasing an ever-growing number of finished whiskeys such as Cognac, Grand Cru Sauternes, Chardonnay, Rum, Pinot Noir, and Stout Cask. While many of these releases have added an acute flavor variation due to their barrel finish, the base flavor profile remains the same. Westward states that they received a delivery of Vienna malted barley instead of their usual two-row pale malt and decided to experiment with it. That’s where Westward Whiskey Vienna Malt stands out the most, as the use of Vienna malt instead of their standard malt is a drastic departure from the standard Westward flavor profile and may change your current definition of Westward Whiskey.

Westward Vienna Malt opens with a wonderful aroma that's filled with complex earthy, floral, and fruity scents. This particular combination is quite unique and varied and starts the whiskey at an enjoyable place. The palate lacks the fruity and overall sweetness of their standard release, but offers its sweet notes from a different angle. Rich dark agave and a mishmash of toasted coconut and marshmallow produces an interesting give-and-take. The finish comes in with a strong roasted malt note that dissipates surprisingly quickly. That’s not a bad thing, as a toasted malt flavor note can be rather sticky at times and overstay its welcome. The finish further offers refreshing hibiscus tea and sponge cake notes.

As someone who enjoys what Westward Whiskey has been producing, I love the variation that Westward Whiskey Vienna Malt offers compared to the standard Westward Whiskey. I’m at odds if I would suggest that this would be a permanent addition to their lineup, despite it offering a sort of ying to their standard release’s yang. That said, it does lack a certain “wow” factor that ultimately holds it back, but fans of the brand will surely enjoy its new take on what is a Westward American single malt.